Statement by the President Upon Signing Order Establishing an Executive Assignment System for High-Level Civil Servants.

I HAVE today signed an Executive order that will enlist the best talent available--in and out of Government--to help achieve the goals of the Great Society.

The 89th Congress enacted more than 180 major bills to enrich the life of every American citizen. These bills have already begun to make their mark:

--More than a million elderly citizens have already received hospital treatment under Medicare.

--More than a half million returning servicemen have been promised a fresh start through the GI bill.

--More than 6 million men, women, and children have been reached through poverty programs.

--More than 50 million young Americans-from kindergarten through graduate school--have been reached through the greatest commitment to education we have ever made.

But the momentum which these laws have achieved must not only be sustained; it must be accelerated. This must be the number one priority of the executive branch today.

I have said many times before that laws are only as good as the people who are assigned to carry them out. And nowhere is this responsibility greater than in the upper levels of the civil service.

I believe we have the finest civil service system in the world. But in these complex times, we see the need for improvement. We see this need:

--When talented executives must remain tied to their old jobs even though a more pressing need for their skill exists in other parts of the Government.

--When Cabinet officers and agency heads lack a Government-wide view of the talent that is available.

--When experienced men and women would like to serve their Government in some challenging capacity but do not know where they are needed.

--When promising young civil servants leave the Government because their talents are not being used.

Let us be clear about one thing: We need, in the upper echelons of Government, all the talent, all the dedication, and all the experience we can find. It was in recognition of this that I promised in my State of the Union address last January to "restructure our civil service is in the top grades so that men and women can easily be assigned to jobs where they are most needed, and ability will be both required as well as rewarded."

Today's Executive order establishes Operation TAP--Talent for America's Progress-as a major step toward the fulfillment of that pledge.

This new system will tell us whom we need and where they are. It will provide us with the flexibility to bring the right talent to the right job at the right time.

Our Government will benefit from a more efficient use of its top management.

Our public servants will benefit from the increased opportunities for their career development and personal satisfaction.

Our citizens will benefit from better administered programs which will provide them full value for their tax dollar.